Apps save lives: Uber vs. DUI.

• Author: Doherty, Brian
• Position: Citings - Driving under the influence - Brief article

As THE struggling members of outmoded urban taxi cartels fight to hobble smartphone apps such as Uber, more data are backing up the intuition that making it easier to summon a ride home could diminish drunk driving and save lives.

A new study by Brad N. Greenwood and Sunil Wattal of Temple University's Fox School of Business looked at California cities where Uber operates. They found a life-saving benefit in Uber's presence: "a 3.6/6-5.6% decrease in the rate of motor vehicle homicides per quarter in the state of California." There are around 1,000 alcohol-related auto accident deaths in California every year, so dozens of lives are at stake.

The researchers also found price sensitivity. The effect is clearer with the cheaper UberX service than it is with the more expensive Uber Black. The effect is also not...